Pride of America Butler Question

[Chan50]

Hi

 

We are due to travel on Pride of America and wanted to understand exactly what the butler does or can do for you?
 

We want to make use of the service but also don’t want to “over do” it with what may seem to be ridiculous requests so just wanted to ask what usual or reasonable requests often are?

 

 

 

Thank you all in advance

 

 

[ggTexasGal]

2 hours ago, Chan50 said:

Hi

We are due to travel on Pride of America and wanted to understand exactly what the butler does or can do for you?

We want to make use of the service but also don’t want to “over do” it with what may seem to be ridiculous requests so just wanted to ask what usual or reasonable requests often are?

Thank you all in advance

You might get the information you want (and more) by looking through this informative post:

 

[Sthrngary]

3 hours ago, Chan50 said:

Hi

 

We are due to travel on Pride of America and wanted to understand exactly what the butler does or can do for you?
 

We want to make use of the service but also don’t want to “over do” it with what may seem to be ridiculous requests so just wanted to ask what usual or reasonable requests often are?

 

 

 

Thank you all in advance

 

 

@Chan50 Everyone who has a butler for the very first time feels the same way as you do.  Below is some detailed information form my upcoming cruise.  I do a very long and detailed "Journey Document" for my wife and in this case my friends that will be joining us.  I hope the research helps you.

 

How To Utilize Your Butler:

·        Menus: Ask for the restaurant menus for the day.  The Main Dining room will change daily and the specialty restaurants stay the same.  Let's say you have a reservation for a Specialty Restaurant that evening, but the menu for the Main Dining room has something you really want.  This is your method to change if available future date is open for your original reservation. 

·        Coffee: Bring your morning coffee and pastries if you like. Depending on my suite, I give the butler a time, and permission to bring the items in to the suite.  This always works best if your great room is separated from your Bedroom. Always give your butler good instructions, a head up, and time to prepare.

·        Reservations: Assist in making or changing Specialty Restaurant reservations.  Remember, “NO” guarantees especially on a sold-out cruise and that is why making those reservations pre-cruise as soon as you can, is important.

·        In-Suite Dining: Serve you in-suite dining from ANY restaurant.  However, they may be a cost for Specialty Restaurants. The butler will do this course-by-course.  Please give your butler a fair head up and only order from one restaurant to avoid confusion.

·        Pillow Menu: Gain the pillow you want from the Pillow menu and exchange it for the pillow on the bed.

·        Afternoon Canapes: Provide you with your afternoon canapes or snacks.  They have some flexibility so talk with your butler. 

·        Bubble Bath: Draw you a bubble bath at a specific time.

·        Escort: Escort you to the main theatre shows, restaurants and events upon request.

NOTE: A Butler is NOT your date.  They take you to the location and drop you off.

·        Laundry: Take care of your for fee laundry service. There is a three-day turnaround time for return.

·        Shoeshine: Have a scuff on your shoes, give them to your butler.

·        Pressing:  You can request pressing of some items.  Their may be a cost so ask your butler if so. 

·        Port Reservations: In some cases, the Butler can gain reservations even for port restaurants.

·        Luggage: Unpack and pack your luggage.  This is NOT something I have ever had done.  Those that have had it done seem to enjoy it.

 

I hope this helps you in some ways.  I also give my butler an index card with requests that he can take with them.  The key is I make sure they know to tell me if any request has a cost.  I want to make that decision after I know the cost. 

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[graphicguy]

Just a slight variance to Gary’s post, generally speaking concierges make reservations and escort you on/off the ship in my experiences.  Butlers serve meals and takes care of your needs IN your suite (refresh coffee maker items, bring meals ordered in advance, etc).

[janice2348]

3 hours ago, graphicguy said:

Just a slight variance to Gary’s post, generally speaking concierges make reservations and escort you on/off the ship in my experiences.  Butlers serve meals and takes care of your needs IN your suite (refresh coffee maker items, bring meals ordered in advance, etc).

Yes that’s my experience also. But Gary really has it down to a science. Great advice!

[Chan50]

Thank you everyone for that fantastic information.

[omahabob]

7 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

You might get the information you want (and more) by looking through this informative post:

 

 

The POA doesn't technically have a Haven, but the principle is generally the same.

 

If you want to observe the epitome of butler service, ask for that bubble bath Gary mentioned in a cabin that has no tub. Make sure to report back here on the results.

[Chan50]

Haha, might not try that one.

 

it does bring about a question though, as we are on Pride of America, would the butler services be relatively the same to Haven suite guests that have a butler?

 

Also, this is quite specific but I notice the teppanyaki restaurant is not bootable ahead of time, is this something you must book upon boarding? 
 

 

 

Thank you all again 

 

 

[graphicguy]

3 hours ago, Chan50 said:

Haha, might not try that one.

 

it does bring about a question though, as we are on Pride of America, would the butler services be relatively the same to Haven suite guests that have a butler?

 

Also, this is quite specific but I notice the teppanyaki restaurant is not bootable ahead of time, is this something you must book upon boarding? 
 

 

 

Thank you all again 

 

 

Butler service should be the same as any NCL ship that has a Haven.  

 

Teppanyaki typically only allows reservations once on board.  This is some thing your Concierge can do for you.

[cruiseny4life]

1 hour ago, graphicguy said:

Butler service should be the same as any NCL ship that has a Haven.  

 

Teppanyaki typically only allows reservations once on board.  This is some thing your Concierge can do for you.

Huh? I've always pre-booked Teppanyaki. We've gone there on all four of our cruises and always pre-booked. Cruising Pr1ma in November and pre-booked Hasuki just the other day. 

 

Is not pre-booking Teppanyaki a Pride of America thing? Or (and I think more likely) Teppanyaki's pre-booked reservations are full. Of course, in this case, it's best to talk with the concierge as soon as you board so you can get one of the remaining spots. 

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

Huh? I've always pre-booked Teppanyaki. We've gone there on all four of our cruises and always pre-booked. Cruising Pr1ma in November and pre-booked Hasuki just the other day. 

 

Is not pre-booking Teppanyaki a Pride of America thing? Or (and I think more likely) Teppanyaki's pre-booked reservations are full. Of course, in this case, it's best to talk with the concierge as soon as you board so you can get one of the remaining spots. 

I've never been able to book Teppenyaki until I boarded.  That said, in all my NCL cruises, I've only dined there twice.

[dexddd]

The suite experience on POA is different than other ships.  The concept is the same though.

 

They will not bring breakfast or lunch from Cagney's like other ships to your room.  If a suite with booze, it is/was wine instead.

 

Shoe shine?  Maybe advertised never offered but maybe due to me not taking work shoes along.

 

Escorts on POA, did not experience over 10 days but really not needed.

 

Laundry usually is not three days but use as worst case.

[janice2348]

On 8/8/2023 at 8:14 AM, cruiseny4life said:

Huh? I've always pre-booked Teppanyaki. We've gone there on all four of our cruises and always pre-booked. Cruising Pr1ma in November and pre-booked Hasuki just the other day. 

 

Is not pre-booking Teppanyaki a Pride of America thing? Or (and I think more likely) Teppanyaki's pre-booked reservations are full. Of course, in this case, it's best to talk with the concierge as soon as you board so you can get one of the remaining spots. 

I was able to book Teppanyaki before I boarded the POA in 2016. Maybe that’s changed?

[Chan50]

Hi

 

Thank you all got these  amazing and informative responses. We have our fingers crossed that this will be a fantastic cruise! Have seen a number of recent reviews that PoA has been a real let down so a little worried but let’s see.

 

 

[mooline]

@Chan50; your butler may be Maria, if so she is absolutely wonderful and will personalize everything just for you. Be sure to chat with her and let he know what you enjoy. For example, our daughter and her family were in a family suite a few decks away, but visited us often. Maria ensured that we had special treats just for them - gummy bears, a special punch that she put together, M&Ms, etc... And she knew that we turned in very early at night, so adjusted her service accordingly.

 

Your steward might be Eston, a very kind and wonderful man. Please tell him that his passengers from the June 17 sailing say hello, and promise that we are keeping on the good, straight road.  🙂

[Chan50]

Thank you and we will be sure to pass on the message.

 

Fingers crossed we get Maria!

 

Was Cagney’s available for Breakfast and Lunch for suite guests when you were on board? Granted we will likely opt for in room breakfast most mornings but just curious.

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you once again

 

 

[mooline]

Hi again, @Chan50, thank you for kindly passing along our message. 🥰

 

Yes, Cagney's was open to suite passengers for breakfast and lunch. Since the cruise is so port intensive and there was so much to see on the islands, we only had lunch in Cagney's on embarkation day, and breakfast I believe twice. 
 

In room breakfast is a great option, just hang your door tag before going to bed and Maria will bring it to you. In our case, breakfast came at the early part of the "window", i.e. 6:30 if we chose 6:30-7. Again, if you want to shoot for a specific time, just let Maria know that.

 

What other questions do you have? Ask away, I’m reliving our cruise through you! 🙂

[Chan50]

Thank you, haha, we have so many questions but will likely bore the other members!

 

Thank you for all your information.

 

 

[dexddd]

Cagney's is open for breakfast and lunch for suite guests in the venue.  You can't order it to room like the other ships.

 

The wood fired pizza in the buffet is very good.

[Chan50]

Thank you, so it would be unreasonable to request food to be delivered by the butler from the restaurant during their open hours?

 

Is Cagneys like the PoA equivalent for other ships haven restaurants?

 

 

 

Thank you all in advance

[mooline]

You can certainly request room service any time. If there is something specially you crave and it’s not on the regular room service menu, by all means ask your butler. He or she should be able to help!

 

My son in law hates Nespresso coffee and asked their butler if they could instead have a regular drip coffeemaker in their suite. Voila, one appeared with all of the supplies needed for coffee making. The butlers are kind of like fairy godmothers/fathers! 
 

 

Edited August 15, 2023 by mooline

[Chan50]

@mooline, Thank You and last question I promise!

 

is the mini bar included in the suite?

 

 

 

Thank you

 

 

[mooline]

Keep asking, no worries!

 

A few months before the cruise, we received an email from NCL's concierge desk, inviting us to choose 3 bottles of wine and assorted sodas. There was also an option to choose from the "pillow library", and to indicate preference of still or sparkling water.
 

There was a bottle of champagne in a bucket when we arrived, as well as the preordered wine on the counter. The fridge was stocked with the sodas and water, which Maria replenished every day, even though we rarely drank it. 
 

We also received a "treat" daily - chocolate covered strawberries, or canapés, or mini pastries, etc. This was a tray of 6 different small items. One day, we also received a bottle of Merlot from the Beverage Manager, and another bottle of wine with a cake for our 50th wedding anniversary.

 

We only drink wine, not hard liquor, and there was more than we could consume in 7 days! 
 

 

 

[mooline]

By the way, the player piano in the suite is lovely if someone plays piano. But, in self play mode, we could never adjust the volume to a low enough level to be nice background music. Hope that’s been fixed for you!

[Chan50]

Thank you, we haven’t received an email yet so I might reach out to our agent.